Today we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of Jesus. In an Easter message, as reported by the media outlet “Catholic News Agency”, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis stated that we are called “… to experience the risen Christ and to share the experience with others; to roll away the stone from the tomb where we may have enclosed the Lord, in order to spread his joy in the world.” Pope Francis further noted, “Let us celebrate Easter with Christ! He is alive! Today, too, he walks in our midst, changes us, and sets us free. Thanks to him, evil has been robbed of its power, …and death has become a passage to the stirrings of new life.”
Today Our Holy Father invites us to embrace this message. In a world growing more and more secular, we are challenged to live for Christ, to love for Christ, to take risks for Christ, and to witness for Christ. We can show by our witness and by our actions that we are truly the body of Christ, the community of hope, and the Easter people of faith.
On this Easter Sunday, we welcome all to our vibrant Parish community. We especially welcome all those who have completed a thorough period of inquiry, education and catechesis, and will be receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, or the Eucharist for the first time. During their period of study, they have grown closer together, and they will be invited to go forth and preach the Good News of Jesus by word and example.
We also welcome all those who are attending our Church for the first time and those who do not attend our Church on a regular basis. We invite you to become part of our community of faith.
At Easter, we proclaim the glory of the Resurrection. The suffering of the cross gives way to the glory of the Resurrection. Just as we share in the suffering of Christ in this life, we hope to one day share in His glory. Through his Resurrection, Jesus conquered sin. He has conquered death. This is the message of his Good News.
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all who participated in our Holy Week liturgies and other services. As we celebrate this day, I also want to thank you for all that you do to enhance the spiritual vitality of our wonderful Parish, and on behalf of our priests, deacons, and staff, I wish you and your families a holy, happy, and healthy Easter season.
Today we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of Jesus. In an Easter message, as reported by the media outlet “Catholic News Agency”, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis stated that we are called “…to experience the risen Christ and to share the experience with